Integrity and ethical behavior in the job search
INTEGRITY, HONESTY, PROFESSIONAL AND ETHICAL CONDUCT
In your job search, whether for an internship, co-op position, other during-college experience, and for a job after graduation, be a person of integrity and honesty, conduct yourself with high standards, and take responsibility for your own behavior.
If you lack integrity and honesty, you damage yourself, you damage your reputation, and you may do damage to others.
BE HONEST
If you are not honest in the job search, your employer will have reason to retract an offer and/or release you from employment.
Being honest does not mean that you have to reveal personal information that is not relevant to a job search. It does mean you must be a person of honesty and integrity regarding matters relevant to the job search.
Being dishonest often has greater negative consequences than revealing the information about which you were originally dishonest.
If you are hired pretending to be something you're not, you are deceiving yourself and others, and you won't be happy on the job, and your employer won't be happy with you.
Standards of professional conduct apply to all aspects of the search: your resume, other documents, and all your communication and interactions with employers, including in person, in writing and verbal, including your online presence.
Your resume, and all other documents and statements you make, should be an accurate representation of your education, skills, and experience. Represent yourself truthfully and honestly, without inflation or exaggeration.
KEEP THE COMMITMENTS YOU MAKE
That means showing up when you say you will and doing what you say you will and taking responsibility for your own behaviors and choices.
RESPECT THE TIME AND RESOURCES OF OTHERS
No-showing for any appointment is discourteous and disrespectful of the time and resources of others. No showing for an interview is extremely inappropriate and has consequences detailed in the Cancellation and Missed Interview Policy.
Remember that employers invest time and resources to travel to campus and therefore make interview opportunities convenient for you. Even one student who behaves inappropriately jeopardizes that employer's relationship with Virginia Tech, and a student who no-shows has effectively stolen an interview time slot from another student.
Never use a real interview as a practice interview. This is detailed in the Position Statement about Campus Recruiting which includes expectations of employers and expectations of students.
DECIDING ON A JOB OFFER | ETHICAL ISSUES
If you receive a job offer, your options are to accept or decline. You might ask for an extension of time to make this decision. If you accept, you are bound by your word. Read more about deciding on a job offer and ethical issues.